This invention relates to a control device for a marine engine and more particularly to a control device for interrelating the acceleration and steering of a watercraft.
In a watercraft, it is desirable to prevent too rapid an acceleration when the watercraft is being steered at a relatively large angle. Such a sudden power application can cause discomfort to the occupants and also may cause the watercraft to be steered more rapidly than the operator desires. This is particularly true when the watercraft is powered by an outboard drive wherein the steering of the watercraft is achieved by pivotal movement of the outboard drive. If too sudden a driving thrust is applied when the steering angle is steep, the watercraft may steer through a greater angle than is desired by the operator.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an arrangement wherein the sudden application of power to a watercraft being steered more than a predetermined angle is prevented.
It is another object of the invention to provide an arrangement for interrelating the steering and power controls of a watercraft so that sudden applications of power cannot be applied if the watercraft is being steered through greater than a predetermined angle.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved control device for a watercraft wherein the steering and power controls are interrelated so that more than a predetermined steering angle and more than a predetermined power output cannot exist simultaneously.